The Canadian government has ordered Chinese video surveillance giant Hikvision to shut down its operations in Canada, citing national security risks. Mélanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Industry, announced that Hikvision Canada Inc. must cease all business activities in the country and can no longer sell products to federal institutions.
The move follows a national security review under the Investment Canada Act, conducted with input from Canada’s intelligence agencies. “The government has determined that Hikvision Canada Inc.’s continued operations in Canada would be injurious to Canada’s national security,” said Joly in a statement posted to X.
From now on, all federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations are prohibited from purchasing Hikvision products. An investigation is underway to ensure no existing government systems are using the company’s equipment.
While the ban applies only to federal entities, Joly urged private organizations and individuals to consider the risks associated with Hikvision products.
With this ban, Canada joins the list of several Western nations that have restricted or prohibited the use of Hikvision products in recent years due to concerns over cybersecurity threats, surveillance activities, and alleged human rights violations linked to the company’s role in monitoring ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang region.
Chinese security camera giant has denied all allegations, but global scrutiny has led to bans or restrictions in the US, UK, European Union, India, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Ukraine. Most recently, a Hikvision employee in Taiwan was indicted for illegal operations on the island.
